GENERAL ORDERS LINCOLN POLICE DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: PERSONNEL
TITLE: CONFLICT OF INTEREST
EFFECTIVE DATE: JUNE 1, 2025
REVISION DATE:
ACCREDITATION: ALABAMA ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE (AACOP)
APPROVAL: CHIEF DARREN E. BRITTON
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CONFLICT OF INTEREST
1026.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
The purpose of this policy is to assist members in recognizing and avoiding potential conflicts of interest, thereby ensuring effective and ethical operating practices on the part of the Lincoln Police Department.
1026.1.1 DEFINITIONS
Definitions related to this policy include:
CONFLICT OF INTEREST - Any actual, perceived or potential conflict, in which it reasonably appears that a member’s action, inaction or decisions are or may be influenced by a personal or business relationship, including conflicts as defined in Ala. Code § 36-25-1.
1026.2 POLICY
Members of the Lincoln Police Department are expected to conduct themselves with the utmost professional integrity and objectivity. Members will guard against actual or perceived conflicts of interest in order to ensure the fair and equitable treatment of department members and the public, and thereby maintain the trust of the public and department members.
1026.3 PROHIBITIONS
The Department prohibits the following types of personal or business relationships among members:
(a) Members are prohibited from directly supervising, occupying a position in the line of supervision or being directly supervised by any other member who is a relative or with whom they are involved in a personal or business relationship.
If circumstances require that such a supervisor/subordinate relationship exist temporarily, the supervisor shall make every reasonable effort to defer matters pertaining to the involved member to an uninvolved supervisor
When personnel and circumstances permit, the Department will attempt to make every reasonable effort to avoid placing members in such supervisor/subordinate situations. The Department, however, reserves the right to transfer or reassign any member to another position within the same classification in order to avoid conflicts with any provision of this policy
(b) Members are prohibited from participating in, contributing to or recommending promotions, assignments, performance evaluations, transfers or other personnel decisions affecting a member who is a relative or with whom they are involved in a personal or business relationship.
(c) Whenever possible, field training officers (FTOs) and other trainers will not be assigned to train relatives. Department FTOs and other trainers are prohibited from entering into or maintaining personal or business relationships with any member they are assigned to train until such time as the training has been successfully completed and the person is off probation.
(d) Members shall not enter into any contract with the Department that is prohibited by Ala. Code § 36-25-11.
1026.4 MEMBER RESPONSIBILITIES
Members shall avoid situations that create a conflict of interest. Members should take reasonable steps to address a perception of a conflict of interest when such a perception is reasonably foreseeable and avoidable (e.g., deferring a decision to an uninvolved member).
Whenever any member is placed in circumstances that would require him/her to take enforcement action or to provide official information or services to any relative or individual with whom the member is involved in a personal or business relationship, that member shall promptly notify his/her uninvolved, immediate supervisor.
In the event that no uninvolved supervisor is immediately available, the member shall promptly notify the communications officer to have another uninvolved member either relieve the involved member or, minimally, remain present to witness the action.
1026.4.1 DISCLOSURES
Members shall be responsible for filing a statement of economic interests in a timely manner pursuant to the requirements of state law, if applicable (Ala. Code § 36-25-14). Certain financial interests are required to be disclosed, including a list of occupations, business activity and income earned.
1026.5 SUPERVISOR RESPONSIBILITIES
Upon being notified of or otherwise becoming aware of any circumstance that could result in or constitute an actual or potential violation of this policy, a supervisor shall take all reasonable steps to promptly mitigate or avoid such violations whenever possible. Supervisors shall also promptly notify the Chief of Police or the authorized designee of such actual or potential violations through the chain of command.
These policies and operating procedures are not designed to cover every possible scenario or situation in society, but rather to define standard operating procedures for members of the Lincoln Police Department. These guidelines are subject to past, present and future judicial review. These guidelines can be amended and or repealed by the Chief of Police as necessary. The policies and procedures herein provided supersede all previous policies and orders.
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